JoAnne Spitznagle

JoAnne Spitznagle died on July 11, 2023 at home surrounded by her husband and children.

She was born November 18, 1951 to John Edward Haan and Mary Ione Jewett Haan in Lafayette, Indiana. The fourth of seven siblings, she grew up on their farm in Tippecanoe County.

She graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1970. Her future husband, Don, grew up on a neighboring farm, and attended St. Boniface where he saw JoAnne most Sundays. They were married July 1, 1972, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Lafayette, Indiana. They were happily married for 51 years.

JoAnne attended Purdue University for a time before pausing her education to help support her growing family. Their first child, Matthew Spitznagle (Mandy) of Indianapolis was born while JoAnne and Don were still living in married student housing at Purdue. Dr. Erin Vinson (Phil) of Muncie, Dr. Sarah Bosslet (Gabe) of Indianapolis, and Daniel Spitznagle (Julia) of Salt Lake City followed soon after.

JoAnne and Don raised their family in Clinton County.  JoAnne was a wonderful mother who instilled in her children a life-long love of learning.  She was the biggest supporter of their many activities.

With four children in school, JoAnne went back to college and completed her degree in Education at Indiana University – Kokomo.  She quickly found her calling in the classroom. She taught at Clinton Central Elementary where she worked with high ability students for over 20 years. She loved creating interesting challenges for her students to help them realize their potential.

After retirement, JoAnne and Don returned to Tippecanoe County where she volunteered for Caregiver Companion and Digby Place helping the elderly in the community. In her later years JoAnne and Don spent the winter months at their home in Naples, Florida where they enjoyed fun in the sun with many relatives and friends.

JoAnne cherished time with loved ones and was the biggest champion of her family’s biannual trips to Pokagon State Park – a tradition that started in 1988 and which continues to this day.  Perhaps her greatest joy was to know and spend time with each of her ten grandchildren: Leo, Henry, and Jude Spitznagle; Kate, Charlotte, and Andrew Vinson; and Simon, Eli, Flori, and Bram Bosslet.

She is survived by six siblings: Janet Gick (Mike), John “Jack” Haan (Janice), Joyce Weintraut (Steve), Jeffrey “Jeff” Haan (Mary Ann), all of Lafayette; Jerome “Jerry” Haan (Kim) of Mulberry; and James “Pat” Haan (Traci) of West Lafayette. Also surviving are many loving cousins, nieces and nephews, and her stepmother Theresa Hatke Haan. She was predeceased by both of her parents.

She will be remembered by loved ones for her warm disposition, her caring heart, her amazing New Year’s Eve get-togethers, and the joy she found in both her family and faith.

A funeral mass will be held Tuesday, July 18th at 10am at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Lafayette. Viewing will be at Soller-Baker Lafayette Chapel on Twyckenham Blvd. Monday, July 17th from 5-8pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to four organizations that meant so much JoAnne:

The Monastery of the Poor Clares, 1175 N. 300 W. Kokomo, IN 46901, Caregiver Companion, https://caregivercompanion.org/donate, Central Catholic High School, https://www.lcss.org/apps/pages/donate_now?tota11y=true   or St. Boniface Catholic Church, https://osvhub.com/stboniface/giving/funds